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Searching for Slave Era Documents in Abbeville County, South Carolina

I have started doing research on the slave holding family in Abbeville County, South Carolina. I have traced this family from Grimes and Leon Counties, Texas to Abbeville County, South Carolina. In Henry Boozer will dated 1854, he bequeath a negro girl Laura (my ggg grandmother) to his daughter Elvira Boozer Leavell wife of Robert G. Leavell. He also requested that his executors appoint three disinterested commissioners, to divide his enslaved property into ten equal lot to be divided amongst his wife and nine children. And according to the 1850 Slave Schedule, he was listed as owning 28 slaves which probably included the parents (Isaac and Ailsey) of Laura.

Recently I ordered Henry Boozer's probate records from the South Carolina Archive which included his will, inventory of estate and various other documents. There were 30 pages total but unfortunately none of the records mentioned or provided any information on the enslaved property except for what was described in the will.

I am wondering what my next steps should be as related to searching for an inventory and/or appraisal of the enslaved property especially considering that Abbeville County suffered serious losses to it pre-Civil War records.

Thanks

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Attachments:

Will of Henry Boozer.doc, 29 KB
Henry Boozer 1850 Federal Census Schedule Abbeville County, SC.jpg, 636 KB
Henry Boozer 1850 Slave Schedule Abbeville County, SC.jpg, 984 KB

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Permalink Reply by Angela Walton-Raji on November 9, 2009 at 1:25pm

Hello,

You may want to connect with Melvin Collier whose Barr and Reed lines are from Abbeyville, and also Christine Charity, whose ancestor was Anthony Crawford, who was a wealthy black businessman who was attacked and lynched and whose family came also from Abbeyville.

Melvin's line can be viewed at: http://www.geocities.com/atlmimi1/barrdescendants/
and at: http://www.geocities.com/atlmimi1/barrdescendants/history.htm

Christine's story of Anthony Crawford of Abbeyville can be seen here:
http://ccharity.com/content/lynching-anthony-crawford

The documents that you have posted are quite interesting!!!!
Have you travelled to Abbeyville? They are extremely helpful at the historical society.

Have you checked the 1860 schedule under the names of Boozer's children to see if they had those slaves that Henry had in the 1850 schedule?

-Angela-

Permalink Reply by Khathu on November 9, 2009 at 7:01pm

Thanks Angela!

By examining the 1860 Slave Schedule and crossing referencing it with the 1850 Slave Schedule it appears that Henry Boozer's wife and nine children each received between 3-5 slaves a piece. Most of the children continued to live close to the family homestead

Since this is a new line, I recently discovered a few months ago, I have yet to travel to Abbeville County. However I am looking forward to traveling there soon.

I will definitely follow-up with your cousin Melvin, since he has done extensive research in the county.

Thanks

Attachments:

Permalink Reply by Sonia L. Walker on November 9, 2009 at 5:25pm

Hi Khathu,

I have a compilation of data from the 1860 Population & Slave Schedules for Abbeville Co, SC. It doesn't list individuals who were enslaved, but does list those who held 20, 292 people in the county. Since you have some surnames, you can check here. This index was designed to cross-reference where the slaveholders were found on the two schedules. You and anyone else are welcome to send me an email if you'd like a copy. Also, take a look at my web page and see if you have any of my Calhoun Falls surnames. www.sankofa.tribalpages.com

I haven't figured out which of Williamson Norwood's descendants were holding my maternal ancestors after his death, but I discovered that there was a dispute in 1851 so I'll need to look for court records.

Sonia
scabbevillegenealogy@verizon.net

Searching for Slave Era Documents in Abbeville County, South Carolina

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